Background Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate difficulties with aspects of executive function (EF) and adaptive behaviour across the lifespan. There is a current lack of information regarding how these difficulties relate to employment outcomes in adulthood. This study evaluated the adaptive behaviour and EF profiles of individuals with DS during early adulthood and the association between these areas of functioning and employment status. Methods Parents or caregivers of primarily young adults with DS (n = 31; mean chronological age = 25.9 years; SD = 5.92) completed the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales -Second Edition the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function -Adult version and a demographic questionnaire that requested information regarding adult employment status. Results Findings indicated a distinct pattern of relative strengths and challenges in adaptive behaviour and EF. In addition, the EF sub-domain of working memory was a significant predictor of employment status.
Down syndrome (DS) is caused by the presence of an extra copy of the 21st chromosome and is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disabilities (Roizen, 2013). In addition to cognitive impairment, the disorder is associated with adaptive behaviour delays and serious medical complications (Perlman, 2014). Due to genetic causes and medical problems, the needs and pathology of DS are well documented in the literature and often come from a medical deficit model aimed at solving the problems associated with DS (Dykens, 2006; Roach, 2003). There is markedly less information on the strengths of individuals with DS or the factors that contribute to happiness, well-being and quality of life within this population. This is unfortunate as research has virtually ignored individuals who are leading healthy,
This article describes an alignment study conducted to evaluate the alignment between Indiana's Kindergarten content standards and items on the Indiana Standards Tool for Alternate Reporting. Alignment is the extent to which standards and assessments are in agreement, working together to guide educators' efforts to support children's learning and development. The alignment process in this study represented a modification of Webb's nationally recognized method of alignment analysis to early childhood assessments and standards. The alignment panel (N = 13) in this study consisted of early childhood educators and educational leaders from all geographic regions of the state. Panel members were asked to rate the depth of knowledge (DOK) stage of each objective in Kindergarten standards; rate the DOK stage for each item on the ISTAR rating scale; and identify the one or two objectives from the standards to which each ISTAR item corresponded. Analysis of the panel's responses suggested the ISTAR inconsistently conformed to Webb's DOK consistency and ROK correspondence criteria for alignment. A promising finding was the strong alignment of the ISTAR Level F1 and F2 scales to the Kindergarten standards. This result provided evidence of the developmental continuum of skills and knowledge that are assessed by the ISTAR items.
Racist rhetoric blaming the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander (AAAPI) community for the COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a surge of violence against the AAAPI community in the United States, including the Atlanta mass shooting on March 16, 2021. These incidents resurfaced the ongoing racism against AAAPIs that has largely been unaddressed despite lasting almost 2 centuries. The erasure of AAAPIs' historical oppression, unique cultures, languages, immigration experiences, and contributions to scientific and social justice advancement in the United States has hindered AAAPI voices from being heard. School psychologists are ethically bound to promote equity and dismantle racism; it is imperative to increase visibility of AAAPIs' experiences across training levels (P-12 and graduate programs), settings, and systems. In this unified statement, school psychology organizations have come together to reaffirm the field's commitment to anti-racism by offering proactive strategies to effectively promote visibility and equity for AAAPI students, families, and communities.
IMPACT STATEMENTAlthough there has been a complete absence of discussion of anti-AAAPI racism and anti-racism in school psychology, the field is actively committed to dismantling systemic racism and inequalities in P-12 schools, institutions of higher education, and communities across our nation. This statements seeks to address this absence by providing (a) a much-needed starting point for school psychologists to learn about the history of discrimination, racism, and violence targeting AAAPIs in the United States that has been virtually unaddressed; (b) a critical context for the recent rise in COVID-19related anti-AAAPI violence while shedding critical light on the deep-seated racism that has oppressed AAAPIs for centuries in America; and (c) beginning strategies that school psychology faculty members, practitioners, and students can engage in to dismantle anti-AAAPI racism across individual and systems levels.
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